Cable raceways are commonly used in construction for enclosing and carrying electrical cables, data cables, fiber optic cables and/or wires along a supporting surface such as a wall or ceiling. Raceways typically include a housing or body having an appropriate length with an open top and a cover which can be attached to the housing by snap connectors or other coupling members. The housing of the raceways often include several internal walls or dividers defining multiple channels to separate various cables.
Raceways are generally manufactured in long straight sections which are cut to a desired length at the work site. Corner or angled sections are also manufactured for directing the raceway around corners or other changes in direction. In certain instances, more than one raceway may be installed at the work site for directing cables to different locations. In some situations, two or more raceways may intersect along the desired path so that it is necessary to reroute the raceways so as not to interfere with each other. One or more of the cable raceways often has to be interrupted or rerouted to avoid the intersecting raceways. Cable raceways may also intersect other objects on the wall or ceiling in the desired path such as conduits, pipes, beams or other support structures.
Various systems have been proposed for raceways to provide a bridge to allow one cable raceway to pass over a second cable raceway. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,544 to Handler which discloses a bridge to enable the intersection of two raceways. The bridge is a one piece member that connects to two different raceway sections. The bridge includes a tunnel section extending transversely to the bridge to pass over intersecting the raceway while allowing the intersecting raceway to pass through the tunnel. The cables passing through the bridge pass over the tunnel and the intersecting raceway to prevent discontinuity of either raceway and to minimize electrical interference between the cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,724 to Russo et al. discloses a raceway for power and data communication wiring having a base with two forward open raceway channels that can be covered with cover segments which snap onto the base. The base forms a bridge which passes over an existing raceway. A cover snaps onto the base to close the top half of the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,572 to Benscoter discloses intersecting feeder ducts. A coupling member snaps onto the lower duct for supporting the upper duct which passes over the lower duct in an intersecting manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,365 to Ewer discloses a feed assembly to fit raceways having different cross sectional configurations. The ceiling feeder assembly has a first end for connecting to a first raceway which is mounted to a wall or other support surface. The assembly has an outlet at the opposite end which is elevated from the plane of the first raceway so that the cables can follow an inclined path from the first end to the second end.
The prior raceways and assemblies have generally been suitable for their intended purpose. However, there is a continuing need in the industry for an improved raceway assembly for two intersecting raceways.